Pennsylvania Democrat Doug Pike, running for a suburban Philadelphia House seat, has asked J Street, the liberal-leaning Israel policy organization, to remove him from its endorsed list of candidates.

In an interview with the Jewish Exponent newspaper Thursday, Pike said that he was breaking with the group and returning the $6,000 that J Street had funneled to his campaign.

Citing J Street’s support for the Obama Administration’s opposition to recent Israeli settlement building in East Jerusalem, Pike told the paper that he found himself in disagreement with organization, which is widely seen as a dovish counterweight to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

"Belatedly, I got a clearer sense of the important points where J Street looks at things differently than I look at things," Pike told the Jewish Exponent. "Also, people simply assumed when they heard that I was endorsed by J Street that I agreed with them on everything. The endorsement was an impediment to my being able to explain my convictions about Israel's security."

J Street responded Thursday by launching a fundraising appeal slamming Pike for his move, which had generated more than $21,000 by Thursday evening.

“This isn't just about one politician's cowardice. This is about the way a vocal minority in our community turns fear into a political weapon and blunts open political conversation on how best to secure Israel's future as a Jewish, democratic home,” said the appeal. “Let's show Doug Pike and others that there is a broad base of support for true leaders who are willing to stand up for what they believe.”

Pike’s public distancing from J Street comes one week after state Rep. Josh Shapiro rescinded his endorsement of Pike. In an interview with pa2010.com, a Pennsylvania political website, Shapiro complained that Pike had not shown himself to be a strong enough supporter of Israel.

Pike is embroiled in a competitive primary with physician Manan Trivedi for the right to take on four-term GOP Rep. Jim Gerlach.